Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday declared that reciting ‘Vande Mataram’ will be made compulsory in all educational institutions across the state. Speaking at an ‘Ekta Yatra’ (Unity March) event in Gorakhpur, the Chief Minister emphasised the patriotic significance of the song and criticized those who oppose it. “There is no point in opposing ‘Vande Mataram’,” he said, adding that “opposing it was one of the reasons behind India’s partition.”

The announcement by Yogi Adityanath coincides with the ongoing political controversy surrounding the national song, "Vande Mataram". The row erupted after Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently claimed that key stanzas of the song were removed in 1937, a move he said had “sown the seeds of partition”. His remarks, made on Friday, have drawn sharp criticism from the Congress, which has demanded an apology from the Prime Minister. Modi had also stated that such a “divisive mindset” continues to pose a challenge for the nation.